Arianrhod
An ancient Gryphon ancestor whose origins are believed to be among the very first Dragonborn Fey, Arianrhod is the ancestor of the moon. Her followers see the waxing and waning of the moon as a metaphor for the cyle of life, death and rebirth that they belive Arianrhod stands for, and consider the preservation of patterns within this cycle to be their most sacred duty. In the early 1100s Arianrhod’s ancient sister Annwyn returned. Symbolism Arianrhod’s emblem is a five-spoked silver wheel, usually on a blue field, this denotes the cycle of life and of the moon, both integral to the faith. On the rare occasions when she has appeared to her followers Arianrhod has taken the form of a young lady usually clad in blue or white linen with skin infused with moonlight. Tenets of Faith Arianrhod is the ancestor of the light of the moon and is the complementary opposite of her sister Annwyn and her power is at its greatest during the waxing of the moon, peaking when it is full. The personality of the ancestor seems to vary in time with this cycle tending from a nurturing motherliness during the full moon to a wrathful anger at her enemies during the new. The faith of Arianrhod is a matriarchal one; women are held in great esteem and provide spiritual leadership within the church. The faith of Arianrhod centres around the cycle of life (Birth, Life, Death, Rebirth) therefore the unliving and necromancy are considered aberrations to be sought out and destroyed wherever they are encountered. Arianrhod inspires acts of great courage within her followers allied with a joy of battle. Followers of Arianrhod are often inspirational military leaders. Worship Worship is focussed around the waxing and full moon. Ceremonies are simple and tend to honour life and purity wherin silver, lilies, crystal and water are often used to represent the light of the moon. At the full moon followers often honour Arianrhod through a sacred hunt, conventionally of animals but in times of war those who have wronged the silver lady are targeted – for example the unliving or members of hostile factions. At this time followers enter a state of religious rapture and can seem irrational and distracted. Followers Numerous prominent Gryphons have revered the Silver Lady including Queen Joanne de Beaufort, Lord Gryphon Louie d’Armoir and Lord Marshal Luaine Argentos. More recently The Lord Gryphon, Rurik, is a follower of Arianrhod as is his Lord Provost, brother Front-de-Beouf. Followers tend to be found in the Duchy of Moonhaven, although shrines can be found throughout Gryphon lands. Additionally small communities of followers have been found in several other lands including Norsca and Lantia. Centre of Worship Arianrhod has been revered in the Cathedral-City of Moonhaven from the last cataclysm until it was later sacked by Karneyna’s army. The city then lay empty until the mid 1090s when it was recaptured by the Wheel, a group of loyal Arianrhod followers, from a force of unliving that held the city. These were vanquished and the great ancient cathedral and its crypts were reconsecrated. Following the re-founding of Moonhaven, the city, faith and group all prospered becoming prominent features of the Gryphon faction. Tragically, such is the prominence of the faith of Arianrhod that Moonhaven was targeted for attack by the conclave of elder races in 1105AF; the city and Cathedral were buried under hundreds of feet of rock and over half the population killed. Excavation, repairs and rebuilding were then interrupted by both the more recent cataclysm and the opportunistic attack of a demon known as Phobos and his minions. The holy city now prospers again, however, under the care of the heroic knights De La Luna.